irreversible

[ir-i-vur-suh-buh l]

See more synonyms for irreversible on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not reversible; incapable of being changed: His refusal is irreversible.

Origin of irreversible

First recorded in 1620–30; ir-² + reversible

Related formsir·re·vers·i·bil·i·ty, ir·re·vers·i·ble·ness, nounir·re·vers·i·bly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for irreversible

Contemporary Examples

That would create an irreversible cycle wherein the climate is beyond our control.
The Pipeline From Hell: There’s No Good Reason to Build Keystone XL
Jack Holmes
November 15, 2014
Now, a new mouthpiece may help protect players from irreversible harm.
This Mouthpiece Will Save Football Players’ Brains
Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD
June 27, 2014
If I had my wish, football would suffer a sudden and irreversible drop in popularity.
Why I’ll Never Let My Kids Play Football
Russell Saunders
May 21, 2014
Echoing Hugo Chavez, they have vowed to make his revolution “irreversible.”
Venezuela Burns, Body Count Rises
Juan Nagel
March 16, 2014
For the populations of tiny island nations like Kiribati, the threat is real and near – and any impacts would be irreversible.
Best Business Longreads
William O’Connor
November 24, 2013

Historical Examples

But it is as safe to assume that the revolution is irreversible, setbacks aside.
After the Rain
Sam Vaknin
Irreversible gelation is usually spoken of as "coagulation."
The Chemistry of Plant Life
Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher
They begin with their main argument, that the acts of councils are irreversible.
The Arian Controversy
H. M. Gwatkin
The progress there is unmistakable; but it is not yet irreversible.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006
Various
It is generally held that death in these cases is due to an irreversible heat coagulation of proteins.
The Organism as a Whole
Jacques Loeb

British Dictionary definitions for irreversible

irreversible

adjective

not able to be reversedthe irreversible flow of time
not able to be revoked or repealed; irrevocable
chem physics capable of changing or producing a change in one direction onlyan irreversible reaction
thermodynamics (of a change, process, etc) occurring through a number of intermediate states that are not all in thermodynamic equilibrium

Derived Formsirreversibility or irreversibleness, nounirreversibly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for irreversible

adj.

1620s, from assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + reversible. Related: Irreversibly.

irreversible

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}irreversible

Examples from the Web for irreversible

Contemporary Examples

That would create an irreversible cycle wherein the climate is beyond our control.

Now, a new mouthpiece may help protect players from irreversible harm.

If I had my wish, football would suffer a sudden and irreversible drop in popularity.

Echoing Hugo Chavez, they have vowed to make his revolution “irreversible.”

For the populations of tiny island nations like Kiribati, the threat is real and near – and any impacts would be irreversible.

Historical Examples

But it is as safe to assume that the revolution is irreversible, setbacks aside.

Irreversible gelation is usually spoken of as "coagulation."

They begin with their main argument, that the acts of councils are irreversible.

The progress there is unmistakable; but it is not yet irreversible.

It is generally held that death in these cases is due to an irreversible heat coagulation of proteins.

irreversible

Word Origin and History for irreversible

adj.

Origin of irreversible